Get passionate have fun take a big risk

If you are lukewarm about your business, you'll muddle along with lukewarm results. Only those who are passionate about what they do have the highest chance of success. If you want to maximize your results, you have to be passionate about what you do. If you're not, you have to GET passionate. That means making whatever changes you have to make, including quitting altogether, if necessary, and starting out fresh in that one area of your life where you can feel pulled along effortlessly by sheer inspiration.

Personally, I learnt a long time ago that passion was one, if not the, key factor for business success. I once held two jobs. One, the day job, was as a sales manager for a large life insurance company. The other, evenings and weekends, as a jingle writer - writing the music, and sometimes the lyrics, for TV and radio ads. I wrote some good stuff. I thoroughly enjoyed the creative outlet it gave me. I spent most of my day - in the day job - thinking about it. To say I was enthusiastic was an understatement - 'immersed' was the word. I found that I spent most of the money I made in the day job to supply and feed my hunger to be 'around' and 'recognized' in the music scene. I bought the latest recording equipment, keyboards, effects and lots of other stuff.

Then one day, I had a 'moment of truth'. I just wasn't making very much money. The return on my financial and time investment just wasn't happening. So, I got thinking about it... REALLY THINKING ABOUT IT. It just wasn't happening and at the end of the day even if it did, the jingle market wasn't that big and it wasn't exactly full of 'millionaires'. My goals were unlikely to be realized.

Then I had a profound insight: why don't I put all the sweat, enthusiasm, drive and passion into my day job. Give up the hobby and really concentrate my efforts in the sales and insurance field.

I made a decision and I flicked the mental switch. I was ruthless. I sold my gear and got really involved in what made me money. I went from being good at what I did to being one of the best and I received the money and the accolades to prove it.

Continue reading here: Never underestimate the intelligence of the buyer

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